Auctionata is a technology company.
Auctionata has raised $95.0M across 3 funding rounds.
Auctionata has raised $95.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Auctionata has raised $95.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Auctionata's investors include Comcast Ventures, Energy Capital Ventures, Flybridge, Greylock, Hearst Media fund, HV Capital, IVP, Matrix, Tony Florence, Trinity Ventures.
Auctionata was a Berlin-based online auction house that digitized the traditional auction experience for high-value items like fine art, antiques, luxury goods, jewelry, and classic cars.[1][2][3] It built a technology platform enabling real-time global participation through livestream auctions, online shops, and expert-curated valuations, serving collectors, sellers, and buyers worldwide while solving the problem of geographic barriers and high costs in physical auctions.[1][2][3] The company achieved rapid growth, peaking at $150 million in revenue by 2015 and raising $97.44 million, but filed for bankruptcy around 2017 with its assets later sold.[2][5]
Auctionata was founded in 2012 by Alexander Zacke, Susanne Zacke, and Georg Untersalmberger, with initial investment from Holtzbrinck Publishing Group and Otto GmbH.[1][3] Zacke and Untersalmberger, leveraging their expertise, developed proprietary technology for delay-free live streaming auctions using real-time operating systems to rival giants like Christie's and Sotheby's.[1][3] The online shop launched in September 2012, followed by the first auction in December; by 2013, it expanded with weekly livestreams from a Berlin TV studio, quickly gaining traction through curated sales and a network of 250 global art experts paid per minute via PayPal.[1][3][6]
Auctionata rode the early 2010s wave of e-commerce disruption in luxury markets, digitizing auctions to democratize access to high-end collectibles amid rising internet speeds and mobile adoption.[1][2][4] Its timing capitalized on fragmented competitors lacking global scale or tech sophistication, influencing the ecosystem by pioneering scalable livestream tech that competitors like Invaluable later emulated.[2][3] Market forces like demand for authenticated luxury online favored it initially, but operational challenges highlighted risks in blending physical expertise with digital scalability.[5]
Auctionata's innovative tech stack and growth to $150M revenue demonstrated the viability of online luxury auctions, but bankruptcy from poor communication, authenticity issues, and irresponsibility toward unhappy customers underscored execution pitfalls.[5] Post-asset sale, its patented bidding system and model likely influenced survivors like Invaluable, shaping a more mature livestream auction sector integrated with AI-driven valuations today.[1][2] While defunct, Auctionata's legacy warns of curation's importance in high-trust e-commerce, potentially revived through acquirers in a booming digital collectibles market.
Auctionata has raised $95.0M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $45.0M Series C in March 2015.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 2015 | $45.0M Series C | Comcast Ventures, Energy Capital Ventures, Flybridge, Greylock, Hearst Media fund, HV Capital, IVP, Matrix, Tony Florence, Trinity Ventures | |
| Apr 1, 2014 | $30.0M Series B | Energy Capital Ventures, Greylock, HV Capital, IVP, Matrix, Tony Florence, Trinity Ventures | |
| Apr 1, 2013 | $20.0M Series A | Energy Capital Ventures, Greylock, HV Capital, IVP, Matrix, Tony Florence, Trinity Ventures |